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Love your Lungs: Bridget Fox supports Breathe Easy on world COPD day
November 24, 2009 12:00 AM
Bridget with the Breathe Easy team on world COPD day
Bridget Fox, Islington South and Finsbury's Shadow MP, gave her support to a local "Breathe Easy" support group last week to mark world COPD day.
Volunteers from Breathe Easy, who hold monthly sessions at the Bingfield Health Centre, were at University College Hospital today to raise awareness of COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
The disease, which is an umbrella term for a number of conditions including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is progressive and irreversible and kills around 30,000 people in the UK every year. 2.8 million people in the UK have the disease but have not been diagnosed.
Smokers and non-smokers alike can develop COPD and other lung-related problems. Early diagnosis is vital in managing the disease and helping to improve sufferers' quality of life.
Bridget Fox gave her support to the cause, saying:
"COPD is a debilitating disease and many people are unaware of it. If it goes untreated it can cause major problems and result in death.
The Breathe Easy volunteers I met today do a fantastic job organising events and days out for people with the disease and other lung conditions and raise money that is vital to promoting awareness of the condition.
A simple test where you blow into a balloon can check if you have a healthy lung capacity or not and can indicate early signs of a problem.
I am proud to support a local charity that works so hard to improve the quality of people's lives and to raise awareness of debilitating lung conditions. "
To find out more go about COPD and other lung diseases, go to the British Lung Foundation website at http://www.lunguk.org/
Breathe Easy Islington meets on the first Wednesday of the month, from 1-3pm at Bingfield Health Centre, Bingfield Street, Islington, N1 0AL.For more information or if you are interested in joining us at a meeting, then please contact Liz on 020 7688 5594
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